Envelope moistener



Jan. 15, 1935. w. c. ALLEN I ENVELOPE MOISTIENER Filed Jan. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l [AVE/VTOR BY W/LBU/f 6. HALE/v M9117, ,4 TTORNEY Jan, 15, 1935. W. c. ALLEN 1,987,813

ENVELOPE MOISTENER Filed Jan. 21, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lawemior J Mmz/Ed/44m/v JTTQQi El Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICE ENVELOPE MOISTENER Wilbur C. Allen, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by

Application January 21,

1929, Serial No. 333,903

3 Claims. (01. 91 '98)' My invention relates to improvements in envelope moisteners, especially designed for use in postal mailing machines comprising conveyors, or envelope moving means.

Among the objects of my invention is to so shape and position a moisture carrying element as to separate the flap and envelope body and moisten the fiap without requirement for extraneous flap spreaders or conveyor elements; to

provide for the constant and direct supply of moisture throughout the length of an applicator comprising bibulous material and to provide for the removal of excess water from the functioning surface of the applicator.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and. combination of parts as hereinafter fully, clearly and concisely described, definitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section of an envelope moistener embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional view of the applicator.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the applicator in longitudinal section.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of a holding means for a section of bibulous material.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of an envelope moistener embodying my improvements.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the moistener.

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the applicator, showing its position in relation to the envelope while the same is being moistened.

Referring, by numerals, to the drawings 5 designates the postal machine, a fragment only of which is shown, and 6 the conveyor for the envelopes. A water tank '7 is supported, by the body of the machine, in a manner by preference, to be readily removable and replaceable as by the bracket lug 8 and overhanging hook 9, shown in Fig. 3. The hook 9 is shown as being an integral part of a fitting or unitary structure 10, for securement to the machine body, as by screws 11, which includes a pump body 12, and constitutes a support for the applicator 13.

Secured to the fixture 10, for extension laterally and upwardly therefrom is a tube 14, residing bodily beneath the conveyor 6. Carried by the outer, free, end of the tube is a block 15, having a cavity 16 for communication with the tube and which constitutes a support for the applicator 13, which is a tubiform and which is in 55 communication with the cavity 16,

The applicator carries and has fixed thereto a plate 17 for attachment to the block, as by the screw 18 and carries means such as the key 19 g for locating the applicator body to provide inclination for drainage of supplied water into the block and through the tube to the tank and the relation of plate 17 to block 15 is such as to dispose the applicator body angularly in both horizontal and vertical planes relative to the conveyor, or trend of travel of the envelopes E carried thereby, whereby the applicator body will engage the envelope body b prior to the engagement of the applicator with the flap f to the end that the envelope body and flap are brought In the bottom of the applicator there is a longitudinal slot 21, over which is placed a section of bibulous material 22 held in place as by a reticulate plate 23 and pressure devices such as the leaf springs 24.

The water supply comprises the recited pump body, or cylinder 12; a piston 24; piston operating means such as the cam or eccentric 25 and a pipe 26, or conveyor, leading from the pump body to the free, or high end of the applicator so that the applicator body is constantly filled with water during operation and the bibulous material uniformly wetted throughout its length.

To prevent excess water on the outer face of the bibulous material, and dripping I provide means, such as the wick 27 which by capillarity sucks up the excess water, from the lowermost end of the bibulous material, and conveys it to the pipe 14, for return to the tank through the drain opening 28.

The form of the device illustrated and described herein is submitted in accordance with statutory requirement by way of exhibiting one form of embodiment of my invention. Various changes, alterations or modifications of the structure may be made without departure from my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an envelope moistener, the combination of: an envelope conveyer; a moistener shell extending into the path of envelopes carried on said conveyer, said shell being normally inclined upwardly from its base to its tip, there being a water chamber formed longitudinally in said shell, said shell having a foraminous lower section for the discharge of water upon adhesive surfaces engaging the same; and a pipe extending from said base longitudinally through said chamber to the upper end thereof for supplying water to the upper end of said chamber so that this water will flow downwardly along said foraminous section and supply the latter with water as this is used up in the moistening of envelopes.

2. In an envelope moistener, the combination of: an envelope conveyer; a moistener shell extending into the path of envelopes carried on said conveyer, said shell being normally inclined upwardly from its base to its tip, there being a water chamber formed longitudinally in said shell, said shell having a foraminous lower section for the discharge of water upon adhesive surfaces engaging the same; a pipe extending from said base longitudinally through said chamber to the upper end therefor for supplying water to the upper end of said chamber so that this water will flow downwardly along said foraminous section and supply the latter with water as this is used up in the moistening of envelopes; and a sheet of fibrous material mounted on the lower face of said shell beneath said foraminous lower section, said material receiving water discharged from said section and retaining a quantity of said water for application to an envelope wiped thereover.

3. In an envelope sealing machine comprising feeding means, a moistener disposed in advance of the feeding means, a water receptacle, means for feeding water from said receptacle to said moistener, an absorbent applicator embodied in said moistener, and means for draining the excess water from said moistener to said receptacle.

WILBUR C. ALLEN. 

